Little bites of delight – SHF #24

I have been known to mention that I am more of a fan of canapes or hors d’ouevres than I am of proper main courses. There is nothing I like more than a succession of little nibbles, each carefully constructed and intensely flavoured – far more so than you could get away with in the case of a big plate of food. And if I am a fan of little savoury nibbles, it should come as no surprise that I am also a fan of little sweet nibbles. I don’t have a sweet tooth as such and I’m the kind of weirdo that can quite easily be satisfied with 2 squares of chocolate – there is no way I’ll eat the whole bar! Rather give me a bite-sized but intriguing sweet morsel. Rather let me have the cheese course and bring me little macaroons with my coffee. Bliss.

Last week I was minding my own business, trying to finish my mammoth post on our Mexican cooking day, when out of the blue, an offer landed in my lap – an offer to host Sugar High Friday! Seeing as I haven’t participated since April 2005 (!!) I was surprised that anybody would entrust this fine event to me – but entrust it they have, bless them 🙂 For those of you who still don’t know, Sugar High Friday is the brainchild of the lovely Jennifer over at The Domestic Goddess who started this event way back in October 2004. The idea was to have a monthly cooking event where bloggers would all make something sweet in line with the host’s chosen theme that month. Past themes have included things like puff pastry, coffee, caramel, tarts and a holiday cookie swap. Something for everyone, really!

Which brings me back to my first paragraph and this month’s theme. I have nothing against great big steaming bowls of bread and butter pudding, or chocolate souffles, or pears poached in red wine. But there is something about petits fours (or mignardisesor friandises) that simply enchants me. So much effort and attention to detail going into something so small and so delicate; so much flavour packed into a little parcel. What’s not to like? They are the dessert equivalent of a canape – small and perfectly formed, and they always leave their audience panting for more. Kind of like Dita von Teese, with frosting :o) So I hereby declare this month’s theme to be Little Bites of Delight, because good things come in small packages.

So what do you need to do?

1. Find or create a recipe for petits fours, mignardises or friandises and make some. Just two a words of warning here: 1) please do NOT make chocolate truffles – these will soon form the theme of their very own event, and we don’t want you to be all truffled out before then; and 2) please do NOT make cookies as there is another cookie swap planned and we don’t want you to use up all your good ideas yet![apparently not true – so bring on the florentines and financiers! – Ed.]

2. Write up your beautiful little bites of delight on your blog. A photo would be lovely too 🙂 If you do not have a blog, don’t worry – you too can now participate in Sugar High Friday! Alanna has set up a special site where non-bloggers can be bloggers-for-a-day and see their sugary creations on the net. Follow the simple instructions on the site and I will make sure your contribution appears both on the site and in the SHF roundup.

3. Once you have posted your little treasures (and this is important, folks), send me an e-mailincluding a link to your post. If you don’t let me know about your creation, I can’t include it in the roundup!

4. The deadline for all of this is Friday 27 October. Anything I receive by the time I wake up on Saturday 28 October (about 9 GMT) will be included in the round-up. Anything after that is on shaky ground.

Easy enough? So off you go and find your own personal bites of delight.

Hi Sam As well you should be – it was your slide show that jogged my memory of when I made caramel-dipped fruit friandises for 30 people at my 30th birthday party. Siiiiigh. Good times, good times! Hi Stephanie Thrilled that you like the theme so much! I did think of your blogparty when I was doing the announcement. Maybe my good choice of theme will go some way to earning forgiveness for being such an infrequent participant?? Hi Anne I haven’t either – not for a few years anyway. I usually like other people to make them and I just sit and nibble! Can’t wait to see what you come up with 🙂 Hi Ivonne Glad you like it!! Lots of agonising went into it, but it looks as if I made the right choice 🙂

Hmmm…I’ve been delinquent in the kitchen for too long – this exquisite challenge will be tough. But I’m going to start looking for remedial-level options. Great theme. BTW – I saw Miss Dita von Teese in person a few months ago at a high tea in honor of her new book, and she is truly teenie, tiny in person – and absolutely perfect to behold!

Cool!! I have my idea – I might come up with more ideas!!! Gonna make some “Chocolate Sushi” (this is how we call this petit four in my house, easy to make, very very yummy and good looking 😉 will write about it in my blog! My first SHF I am excited!

I have never participated, but this one sounds just like me: after the cheese I don’t have space left for sweets, and I love baking, but don’t really like eating it. But little bites ….. good idea. Now all I need to do is put a reminder in my brain, and I participate 🙂

Hi Libby You saw Dita?? Lucky you! She is just uber- fabulous and I was thrilled to find a cunning way to mention her on a foodblog 😉 And yes – I find the theme pretty challenging myself – far more used to eating petit fours made by other people! Hi Gitit Thrilled to have you joining in so enthusiastically! And chocolate sushi sounds perfectly divine… Hi Isis I’m so with you – I peak too early on the cheese and after than although the spirit is willing I have no more capacity for dessert… except in exquisite little morsels. Can’t wait to see what you come up with 🙂 Hi Bonnie Glad to have piqued your interest & look forward to your creation! Hi Bron Mmmmm, a million ideas for petit fours sounds fab! And of course, I can’t wait to see your gorgeous photos. Hi JenJen My point exactly! And as somebody without much of a sweeet tooth, I’d rather have one small but outstanding bite than a big bowl… Hi Ilingc I know how you feel… But just take a deep breath and everything will fall into place! Or fall apart. But don’t forget to breathe!! Hi Karen You and me both – I have been very slack about participating. But I’m thinking that hosting might get me back into the habit! Hi Yorkshire Soul Sorry, did’t mean to totally distract you….! Hope the cold shower wasn’t too chilly :o)

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Jeanne Horak-Druiff is a freelance food and travel writer as well as a recipe developer and photographer. She is a South African by birth and a Londoner by choice who has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Please get in touch to commission work from her. Read More…